Exclusive: Rob Lowe Lands a Marvel-ous Gig on Young Justice

Rob Lowe has played a White House aide and a United States Senator on TV, but his next gig puts him in the company of some real power brokers. The ex-Brothers and Sisters star will guest star on an episode of Cartoon Network's upcoming superhero series Young Justice as Captain Marvel, aka Shazam.

The show will have a special sneak preview during Warner Bros.' panel for Batman: The Brave and the Bold at Comic-Con on Friday morning in San Diego. Based on a popular DC Comics title which ran from 1998 to 2003, Young Justice features a band of teenage sidekicks — Robin, Superboy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Artemis and Miss Martian — who are eager to hit the superhero big-time, much to the dismay of their mentors in the Justice League of America. "This is a show about the lives of the young heroes and their need to prove themselves to their mentors, their families, to each other and most of all to themselves," says producer Greg Weisman.

Lowe's character is technically an adult, but his secret identity is 10-year-old Billy Batson, who magically transforms into Captain Marvel, aka Shazam, the world's mightiest mortal. His powers include the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury — note that the gods' initials spell out Shazam. Because he's really a kid, Captain Marvel will bond more easily with the younger heroes. Weisman says that Shazam will be an important recurring character in the series, so this could ultimately involve multiple episodes for Lowe.